


"Frozen in the Dark"

by WritingWithADinosaur



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, F/M, Mutant Reader, Panic Attacks, Reader-Insert, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 14:02:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17346521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingWithADinosaur/pseuds/WritingWithADinosaur
Summary: Reader has powers similar to Bobby in the X-Men movies, and is afraid of the dark thanks to Hydra. When there is a storm and all of the power goes out in the Avengers tower, her and Tony get closer.





	"Frozen in the Dark"

**Author's Note:**

> Tony Stark x Reader
> 
> Key: Y/N = Your Name, L/N = Your Last Name, H/C = Your Hair Color, E/C = Your Eye Color
> 
> Warnings: Cursing, Panic Attack Type Thing, Past Trauma (Hydra Stuff)

It’s been about a year since you joined the Avengers. Well, sort of. You were still in training. Your hand to hand combat as well as your weapons training were pretty much complete and up to the team’s standards. It was your special abilities that caused a problem. You had the ability to manipulate ice and colder temperatures. You have been working on controlling it, but you haven’t been able to completely get it together. Last week, you lost it and froze half of the hangar.

This inability to control yourself led to multiple mental breakdowns. The only people who could calm you down were Wanda and Tony. Wanda had to use her power most times, but Tony was able to just be him and help. You had always been interested in Tony, and you could even say that you were in love with him. But you figured he wouldn’t go for someone like you. You’re not his usual type of woman, _why would he change?_

The entire team had to go out on a week long mission. Tony stayed back though. Wanda was for sure needed, but he wanted to be home with you in case something happened. The team agreed and left you and Tony in the Tower.

Everything was going smoothly this week. You had been able to do some personal work, worked out a bit, and even got some training in with Tony. Control was still a struggle, but you didn’t breakdown since Tony was right there to help. The week seemed to speed by. That is, until the storm hit. You had seen the weather forecast for a couple days before Saturday night. You knew it was going to be a bad storm, but you didn’t think it would get as bad as it did.

You were working on cleaning your room while it rained. It had been something that you’d been putting off for awhile. You were working on folding some clothes when the power completely shut off. It was dark outside, so not a lot of light was coming from your window. It was so dark. It became difficult to breathe and you could feel yourself shaking.

“ _No no no no no!_ ” You backed into the corner of your room and slide down the wall. “FRIDAY! Help!” You just about screamed to the AI system.

“What can I do for you, miss (Y/L/N)?” You knew FRIDAY would be working. It was designed to still be operational in times like these.

“ _Please_ tell me that there lights that can be turned on.” You tried to control yourself but felt yourself slipping.

“No ma’am. The power can not be rewired to lights at this time.” There was a small pause before the AI spoke again. “Are you alright, miss?”

The ends of your hair started to freeze as you felt your body temperature slowly drop. The wall behind you started to get cold and sort of freeze as well. You pull your knees to your chest and put your head against your knees. There was a boa constrictor inside your body tightening itself around your lungs. You needed to tell Friday to get help.

“No. Please… Get Tony.” You were able to manage to get out. Friday did a quick scan of your vitals and sent them along with a message to Tony.

~~~~~~~~

Tony was working in his workshop when the power went out. He was fixing a part of his suit that had been damaged during the last mission he was on. His phone went off, Friday was sending a file through as well as a message. He opened the file and scanned through the report of your vitals while listening to Friday.

“Sir, (Y/N) needs your help as soon as possible.” Tony was going through the file Friday sent. Your heart rate was through the roof while your body temperature was decreasing. He knew what was going on in an instant.

Storm. Blackout. You. Freezing. _Attack._

“Friday, where is (Y/N)?!” He got his jacket that was hanging on the back of his chair. He knew any sort of layering would help you warm up slowly after you made it through this attack.

“In her room, sir.” And with that, he sprinted to your room.

~~~~~~~~

You were taken by Hydra when you were a young adult. You knew you had a special ability concerning the cold, but you had never really played with it because you thought it was dangerous. Hydra thought it was potential for them.

They had kept you as a prisoner for years. There was never ending torture and trying to persuade you to be one of their soldiers. You never broke though. You knew how awful Hydra was, and you were by no means going to be fighting for them. So you endured anything and everything they threw at you.

They found a whole new way of making your life a living hell: Not letting you _see_ any of it. 

They had carried on with what they normally did to you, but this time they blindfolded you. You couldn’t tell what they were going to do or when, it made your life in that hellhole even more terrifying than you thought possible.

Having to go through with that shit until the Avengers came and saved you, being deprived of that sense in everyday life still had negative outcomes.

You’ve gotten help for this, but your fear of the dark still lived no matter how hard you tried to kill it. This fear decided to rise thanks to the storm tonight.

~~~~~~~~

Tony opened the door to your room with a flashlight in hand. You weren’t on your bed or in your chair.

“(Y/N/N)?! Where are you, sweetheart?”

He stayed completely still so he could clearly hear around him. You couldn’t bring yourself to move or anything. You were so scared and so in your own head. Luckily, Tony heard your exasperated breathing coming from the corner and found you there.

His heart broke a little seeing you so broken. He quickly assessed the situation and made his moves. Not only were you having an attack, but your powers were coming out because of the emotional instability. He took his jacket from his hands and draped it around your shoulders. You were too stiff for him to try to get you to wear it properly, but this would have to do for now.

Next, he grabbed your favorite blanket from your bed, it was a thicker one with a simple pattern on it. You loved simplicity. He then picked you up from your floor and took you to the living room. He was always shocked at how cold you could make yourself. When he picked you up, it was like picking up a solid piece of ice.

This isn’t the first time he’s had to do something similar to this. He knew you well enough to know what would help and what wouldn’t.

He knew the living room was a safe bet as a better location for you. It was more open and there was more light coming from the outside through the large windows along the wall. While it was storming outside, there was a dull light that illuminated the room a little bit. Enough to make a difference to you.

He sat you both on the couch, him in the corner with you in his lap. He then wrapped your favorite blanket around the both of you and held you close while he traced circles against your back. You were already starting to come out of your haze, but your lungs still felt constricted and you were shaking like a leaf in autumn.

“It’s okay. I got you, (Y/N). I’m not leaving. You’re safe. I promise.” Tony whispered these every so often. He felt you loosening up as you both sat there for a few minutes. He looked down to see if you looked any calmer. He was surprised.

You originally had your head buried in his neck, but your attention was captured by a faint blue light under Tony’s shirt. You knew it was the arc reactor, but you had never really paid any attention to it until now. The light radiating from it seemed to help you focus back on reality and get your breathing back to normal.

You were lightly running your hands along the grooves and ridges of the reactor through his shirt when he looked down at you. He had never really seen it as anything other than a life support system for himself. Apparently it had a sort of similar affect on you.

You finally got to a stable state. Tony feels your body temperature rise back to normal and you weren’t shaking nearly as bad as before. He leaned his head down and kissed your head. You felt so guilty every time he or Wanda had to come in and help you.

“Tony?” Apparently your voice shocked him because you felt him jump a bit underneath you. He hadn’t expected to hear from you until way later.

“Hmm?”

“I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have to deal with this type of stuff. I feel so awful whenever I have to have you swoop in and–” You were going to keep talking, but Tony shushed you. He put a hand on your cheek and made you look at him while he talked.

“Stop that. Please. If I didn’t want to help you, I wouldn’t. But I care about you so much more than you know. When you first got here, I thought you were going to be more trouble than when we took Bucky in. But once I got to know you, you stole my heart.” He paused for a couple of seconds, as if he was internally debating about continuing talking. “I love you, (Y/N). I know this is probably awful timing, but it needed to be said. I love you and I would honestly do anything for you.”

A few tears fell down your face. Tony saw this and panicked a bit.

“Oh god! I said something wrong didn’t I? I’m so sorry! I just–” Before he could get any further, you pulled him into a hug. You both stayed in the embrace for a few seconds before you pulled away to look at him and broke the silence.

“You don’t understand how much I have wanted to hear you say that. I _never_ thought it would happen. But I love you too, Tony. I have for awhile now and I just thought you wouldn’t go for someone like me. I’m not the typical supermodel or anything, and I’m messed up and I–” Tony didn’t let you continue. 

He pulled you into a surprisingly gentle and sweet kiss. It wasn’t too quick, but it didn’t turn into making out or anything. It was perfect.

“You’re right. You aren’t the stereotypical perfect girl. Instead, you are what I want and what I need. No one can control who they fall in love with, but _damn_ I’m glad that I fell for you.”

You both couldn’t stop smiling. You both agreed to take it a bit slow for now. Nothing too intense was done tonight. Instead, you pulled out your laptop that thankfully had a fully battery, and put on some movies that you had saved on it. At some point you ended up falling asleep against Tony, snuggled in his jacket, under the blankets. It wasn’t too long until Tony was fast asleep with you on the couch.

~~~~~~~~

The team had come back very late at night. The power had been restored, but the lights stayed off. Steve came in first and saw that there was a faint light coming from the living room. He went to check it out with Bruce and Bucky.

They saw your laptop playing one of your favorite movies, and you two on the couch. You had your head resting on Tony’s shoulder with your hand over the arc reactor; His arms were protectively wrapped around your waist. You two had never looked more peaceful than in this moment.

Bruce quietly took out his phone and snapped a picture of the two of you. Steve and Bucky threw him questioning glances.

“I know Tony. He’ll hate me for a few minutes when I show him these, but then he will take my phone and send them to himself so he can look back on them. He’ll think they’re cute. Trust me.”

The three men turned and went to their respective rooms to shower and rest after the mission. You and Tony slept soundly on the couch. The two of you in total content in each other’s arms. You had never felt as safe and okay as you do now, and you never wanted to go back to a life without this much Tony.


End file.
